Dear Editor,

Jamaicans should all be very proud that Opposition senator Dr Floyd Emerson Morris, born July 23, 1969, a member of the People’s National Party and the 12th president of the Senate, has created history by becoming the first visually impaired person appointed to the distinguished position of full professor at The University of the West Indies (UWI).

This brilliant Jamaican scholar was recently promoted to professor of disability studies.

Senator Morris has distinguished himself in scholarly research, teaching, constant promotion of The UWI as a world-class university, and has had an outstanding track record in public service spanning some 20 years to include a former president of the Senate and former state minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

In fact, he was brought into politics by former Prime Minister PJ Patterson and mentored by him throughout the years.

Conducting research and publishing is very challenging for an able-bodied person, so we can imagine how much more challenging it would be for a blind person, and this speaks to Senator Morris’s fearless determination to succeed and commitment to hard work, which has resulted in this promotion as well as his many other educational and political achievements over the decades.

During his tenure as director of The UWI’s Centre for Disability Studies, he accomplished a plethora of achievements and tabulated some wide-ranging studies and research, which shows his brilliance, knowledge, and experience, all of which he will use to continue to conduct much-needed academic research in the area of disability studies and how it impacts societies and the workforce.

He has encountered numerous challenges of varying degrees over the years; however, Senator Morris has maintained focus and is among the top educational achievers within the Caribbean and Latin America as a visually impaired person. He has certainly done Jamaica very proud and continues to serve with distinction.

As president of the Senate, his track record is impeccable, always fair, balanced, and fearless in his leadership, and today, as an Opposition senator, he is among the most outspoken and thorough. His presentations are typically supported by data and very analytical.

Senator Morris is a devoted and highly respected member of the Seventh-day-Adventist Church and received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from The UWI in 2016. He has written and published his autobiography entitled By Faith, Not by Sight: The Autobiography of Jamaica’s First Blind Senator, which is a must-read for all Jamaicans, especially students. It is an inspiring life story.

Well done, Professor Morris! Well done, UWI!

Robert Dalley

robertdalley1468@aol.com